Advertising display device for elevators



Dec. l, 1931. .1. GRAssMAN ETAL 'ADVERTIING DISPLAY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORSFiled March 26, i928 ATroRNY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNED STATES PATEN'roFF-ice JOHN GRASSI/IAN, OF BELLAIRE, AND LAiCHLAN STEWART GATTER, F NEWYORK, N. Y.

ADVERTISNG :DISPLAYk DEVICE yFOR ELEVATORS Application mea Marchas,leas. serial No. 264,777'.

It is anobj ect of our invention to design an automaticadvertisingrdevice suitable for use in passenger elevators which will beinexpensive to construct and operate. i It is our further object toprovide a device of thistype which will cause an advertising displaycard or sign to appear in a visible position and remain in that positionfora predetermined interval of time before the next sign appears.

1o It is our further object todesign the mechanism of our device so thatany one display will remain Xed as long `as the car is standing still oraslong as the operating control mechanism is not functioning. lWe dothisso that there will be no moving signs in the car while the elevatoritself is ata floor landing and we thus avoid the possibility ofdelaying the exit from the car by reason of thepassengers who might stopto look at a moving sign or object. It is our further object to designthis device so that it will be compact, positive in operation and lenditself suitably for display in the interiorof any passenger elevator. Itis 'our further lobject to design a device which may be used in adepartment store elevator service which will, when the car is in motiononly, function to disclose notices to the passengers of special salesand the like which may be in eect during any 3o given day or period oftime, alsofor hotels in theatre districts to display current theatreattractions.

Our 'invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which like numbers and like letters refer tolike partsin the several views.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of one type of mechanicalV constructionof our device. Fig. 2 shows a section of the cylinder mechanism throughthe plan-e 2 2. Fig. 3 is a sketch showing possible mounting in theelevator car.

Referring now to Fig. 1, 1 is a sprocket chain or rotatory band carryingthe advertising matter. It must also be understood that we may usesuitable reels containing printed matter. We prefer a chain design inplace of a belt or reel because we desire to prevent slipping and have apositive position of each 50. respective advertisement as it appear inthe visible portion of the boX container; 2 are the sprockets or teethon the main sprocket wheel 3 which may be of such diameter so that asingle complete revolution willhave an effect on the sprocket chain ofone complete depth or length of one advertisement. le mayof coursearrange this by gears or otherwise so that it will give. a longerordeeper length to each space; 3 is the main wheel or cylinder solidlyconnected to the shaft 23; 4: is a driving gear loosely connected to theshaft 23 and free toturn thereon and which contains the teeth 7 whichmesh with the rack teeth 11 on the rack 12; 5 is a ratchet wheel solidlyconnected to the shaft 23, which is engaged by a pawl 6 mounted on thedriving gear L A further pawl (not shown) to be mounted on the side ofthe case so that it engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5will prevent5, and hence 3, from turning backward, inany event, when gear 4 isreversed by the reverse action of the rack 12.'l The rack 12 has, at oneend, a. dash-pot time element plunger means working into the cylinder 10against an air chamber 9 held in position against the casing by the lugs8. The rack 12 also works along the guide 13 and its other end worksinto the cylinder 15 of an electromagnet 16 against the compressionspring 17, the magnet case 15 being secured by the lugs 8. One side ofthe magnet coil may be connected to the ground and the other side runsto the contactors 18 and 18, the moving contactor 18V being mounted onlthe rack 12 and isin contact engagement with stationary contacter` 18in the starting position. The contactor 18 isv connected `at 20 withvthe car switch 21 or with the starting button in the elevator car, orwith other suitable car controller circuits and thence to the source ofenergy used in the car control circuit. The sprocket chain may berunover staggered rollers 22 and 22" mounted in the box container so thatadditional advertising matter may be thus obtained.

The operation of our device, as disclosed by the mechanism described,would be as follows: n When the car switch or car starting button 21 isthrown to the up or downl position the coil 16 is energized, through thecontactors 18 and 18 being closed, pulling the rack12 against thecompression spring 17 in a quick motion. This quick motion isaccomplished with suiiicient energy, by reason of the capacity of theelectromagnet 16, so that the initial impulse is suilicient to compressthe spring 17 and to accomplish a complete movement of the rack and gearof that particular advertisement. Although the contactors 18 and 18 areopened almost immediately when the electromagnet 16 is energized,nevertheless, the initial impulse provides sufficient momentum toaccomplish the desired Work. Of course, the contactors 18 and 18 mayalso be vconstructed as sliding contactors so that they will maintaincontact during part of the travel if desired, but this should not benecessary if the coil 16 is of heavy enough design. The rubber .bumpers14. mounted on the ratchet 12,-come together with bumpers positionedon'the cylinder 15 to take up the impact; the contactors 18 and 18 areopened. The gear l is revolved and through `the pawl 6 picks up theratchet 5 and main drive wheel 3 an'd revolves the entire mechanismthrough one revolution so that the` next successive advertising vsign isbrought into position in the visible space. As soon as'the contactors 18`and 18 are open the magnet 16 is de-energized and the spring 17 forcesthe rack 12 back into the 'time element dash-pot cylinder 10 againstairr pressure 9 which can be regulated to ytake up any required amountof -time that may be necessary for each individual sign to be displayed.It will also be observed that until this time has elapsedthe contactorsY18 and 18 are not closed and even though the car switch may be on, themechanism will not function luntil such predetermined time `interval haselapsed. If the car switch is still on, a successive repetition of themotion will ensue. If the car switch is not-on, the sign that 'has beenbrought into position will stay there until the neXt motion of Ythevcarswitch or starting button so that there can be no motion of theadvertising sign except when the car is in operation, or,that is to say,when the car is standing at a landing each yadvertising sign displayedin the visiblespace does not move and the attention of the passenger isnot attracted by a moving sign and consequently there is no tendency todelay exit from the car with consequent slowing of service. f

It will be noted that we have eliminated the :possibility of sliding byusing a chain so that each particular advertisement will be synchronizedwith the visible porti-on of the case. It is to be understood that inour invention we may substitute in place of the magnetioperation, anelectric motor drive to operate the mechanism of the device although we.donot here show specific mechanical :arrangement for the use of suchelectric motor but it is within the scope and purport of our claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an advertising display device for elevators, a car controllingswitch, a plurality of advertisements, means to cause same tosuccessively appear in a space visible in the -elevator cab, 'and toremain in such visible space for a predetermined interval of time eachand to so remain when the car control switch is oif and 'the car atrest.

2. In an advertising display device for elevators, a car controllingswitch, a plurality of advertisements, means to cause same tosuccessively appear ina space visible in an elevator cab., means fordisconnecting the operating mechanism of the device when the car`control switch is ofi' and holding said advertisements in position insaid visible space when Vthe elevator is at rest and for a predeterminedinterval of rtime when the elevator is in motion.

3. In an advertising display ldevice for elevators, a plurality-ofadvertiscments automatically rotated from a cylinder, said cylinderactuated by rack and gear mechanically connected therewith said rackactuated by an electro-magnet and governed by a `time element device,said magnet being energized only when the carxcontrol switch is .int-heon position. Y

4. YIn :an advertising display Vdevice for elevators, the combination ofa plurality of advertising signs rotated by a rotating cylinder, saidcylinder actuated by an electromagnetically driven rack and gear, saidelectro-magnet being energized by the operation ofthe `car control withvmeans for timing the operation of said rack.

L5. In an advertising Idisplay device for elevators, 'the combination of-a plurality of advertising signs rotated by a rotating cylinder, saidcylinder yactuated by an electromagnetically driven rack and gear, saidelectro-magnet being energized by the operation ofthe `car-control withmechanical means for timing the -.operation of said rack.

6. In an advertising display device for elevators, Ya plurality ofadvertisements mounten-upon a cylinder free to rotate, said cylinder-rotated by a mechanica-l drive, said drive electrically operatedthrough said elevator controller to functionv only when said controlleris operated, said drive continuously governed by a time element device.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands to `thesespecifications this 23rd day of March, 1928. l

JOHN GRASSMAN. L. STEWART GATTER.

